Marvel Rivals hero counter guide - pick the best DPS every match ⇒ MarvelRivalsHub

When playing Marvel Rivals, you might think it’s enough to just pick your favorite hero and queue up. Here is a Marvel Rivals hero counter guide for players who want to win more consistently. They need to think deeper. DPS heroes aren’t just damage dealers. They set the tempo of the entire match. With more members in this role than any other, the flexibility they offer is unmatched. However, that also makes their impact heavily dependent on who you pick and why.

Source: TDTwo

What are the hidden hero categories in Marvel Rivals?

The theory shared in a popular YouTube video suggests that each hero fits into one of four pseudo categories. These are not the official roles (Vanguard, Duelist, Strategist), but rather function based types: Sustainers, Brawlers, Flankers, and Pokers. They naturally counter each other, forming a hidden rock paper scissors system that can improve your match outcomes if used correctly.

Sustainers: Flexible splash damage, medium range, low survivability. Strong against brawlers, weak to pokers.
Brawlers: High survivability and mobility, low range. Good vs dive, vulnerable to sustainers.
Flankers: Best mobility, single target burst. Counters poke, but weak against brawlers.
Pokers: Snipers with long range, low mobility, and access to stuns. Effective vs sustainers, weak to divers.

Mastering this system means making better picks, smarter swaps mid match, and understanding your role beyond raw damage output. Watch the full source video here.

Marvel Rivals hero counter guide: How to pick based on the matchup and category

The smart way to climb in Marvel Rivals is by evaluating your team’s comp and the enemy’s strengths. Are they running poke heavy heroes like Black Widow or Hawkeye? Consider a brawler like Mr. Fantastic. Are they diving with Spider Man and Iron Fist? Shift into sustain or tanky brawlers to stabilize.

Here’s a small sample of how this plays out in practice:

Black Panther: 100% flanker. High mobility, strong anti support, but easily countered. Difficulty: 5.
Blade: Likely a 50/50 flanker and brawler with burst and AoE tools. Kit not final.
Phoenix: 80/20 sustain and poke. Strong self healing and group control. Difficulty: 2.
Wolverine: 80/20 brawl and flank. Built to rip tanks apart, but zero range.
Psylocke: 80/20 flanker and sustain. Balanced toolkit, but highly counterable. Difficulty: 3.

As the creator explains, heroes are also graded on “true difficulty,” meaning how hard they are to play well once you’ve learned their mechanics. Picking a low difficulty hero isn’t bad. It might even be the better call if you’re new or still learning. For instance, Mr. Fantastic and Moon Knight are excellent for team fights and map control with less mechanical stress.

How to apply this guide to improve your win rate

Once you learn the hidden categories and how they interact, you can climb faster by picking smarter. Always ask:

What is the enemy comp leaning toward?
What does my team lack?
Am I picking the best tool for the current objective?

Adjusting your pick mid match, especially after a loss at an objective or control point, is a huge advantage. For example, if you’re getting melted by Phoenix and Torch, consider countering with a poke heavy comp like Hawkeye, Widow, or even Winter Soldier. Just keep in mind poke struggles when dived, so have a brawler to protect the line.